This article was co-authored by Alexandra Doss and by How.com.vn staff writer, Raven Minyard, BA. Alexandra Doss is a Poultry & Livestock Expert expert based in Ruskin, Florida. She owns and manages Stellar Game Birds, Poultry, Waterfowl LLC, a selective breeding operation with game birds, poultry, and waterfowl. With over 14 years of experience, she produces strong genetics and health in her hatching eggs, eating eggs, and live birds. The farm is FWC game farm licensed, FDAC licensed for quail, chicken, and duck eating eggs and meat, and NPIP certified. She is known as the Quail Lady and has published several books on raising Coturnix. Her work has been featured in Mother Earth News, Backyard Poultry, Grit, The Chicken Whisperer Magazine, and Community Chickens. She also has a career as a Workforce Management Supervisor and has a certificate in project management. She received a BS from Oregon State in Animal Sciences.
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Running a chicken farm requires more than just agricultural know-how. If you want to be a chicken farmer, you must also think like a business person while growing your brand. Choosing a focus, establishing a brand, raising your chickens, and building your business are all part of chicken farming. Then, as your farm grows, you'll be able to market, finance, and network to grow your business. In this article, we’ll teach you everything you need to know to start a successful chicken farm business.
Quick Steps to Start a Chicken Farm
- Decide if you want an egg- or meat-production farm and choose the best chicken breeds for your focus.
- Buy the land for your farm and purchase supplies like coops, brooders, and feeders. Apply for a loan if necessary.
- Market your farm by creating a website, making ads, and attending agriculture conferences to network.
Steps
Establishing Your Chicken Farm
- Pursue a Bachelor's degree in agriculture or business. While not required, most aspirational farm owners complete an undergraduate degree first. To better prepare for a career in chicken farming, choose a Bachelor's degree in agriculture, business, or a niche major like farm administration or poultry science if your college offers it.[10]
- If you choose agriculture or poultry science, add a business minor (or vice-versa) to take classes on marketing, leadership, and other relevant topics.
- Get your degree online if you don't have time for a traditional four-year degree.
- Other ways to learn about poultry farming include taking a training course or consulting an established farmer for advice and mentorship.
- Learn and follow all poultry farm regulations. The specific rules and regulations for poultry farming vary depending on your area. Visit your local government agencies to get detailed legal information and make sure you can check every single box before starting your farm—you don’t want to run into legal trouble down the line.[11]
- If you’re starting a farm in the United States, consider applying for an LLC, which has many benefits for startups.
- Create a business plan for your chicken farm. Write an outline for how you plan to run your chicken farm, as well as your long-term goals for the next 3-5 years. Include information like your history, structure, objectives, vision, products, target demographic, and marketing strategy in the plan. Once you've created the plan, review it with an established farmer or business advisor, and revise your plan based on their suggestion.[12]
- If you're running a meat productions farm, for example, you could include your plans for raising and butchering chickens, revenue goals or the first year, and plans for marketing your poultry products in stores.
- Business plans are useful for attracting investors or business partners down the road.
- Apply for a loan to fund your chicken farm if necessary. To start a poultry farm, you’ll likely need to spend anywhere from $5000 to $25,000. If you don't have enough money for your supplies, schedule an appointment with your local bank. Discuss your financial history, business goals, and monetary needs with the loan advisor to apply for and secure a loan.[13]
- Bring a business outline, evidence of your credit history, pay stubs, and anything else requested by the bank to your meeting.
- Start with a loan for the minimum amount of equipment and chickens for your farm. You can always get a larger loan as your business grows.
- Purchase all of the necessary equipment for your chicken farm. The type of equipment you need will depend on whether you're running an egg-laying or meat-production farm. Consider visiting other farms to inspect the equipment and determine what you need. Head to an agricultural supply store to purchase the necessary equipment, which may include:[14]
- Determine whether to hire laborers for your farm. How much manpower you'll need depends on the size of your farm. If you have fewer than 200-500 birds, you should be able to run the farm by yourself. Otherwise, especially if you want to grow your farm, you may need additional help.[15]
- Start with a small farm so you don't have to pay workers until your chicken farm business is successful.
- If you need to hire more workers, try to hire those with years of experience in poultry farming for better stability. You’ll also likely need an administrative manager to keep an eye on daily business.
Community Q&A
- QuestionWhat is the minimum number of chickens to start with on a farm?Andy WinderCommunity AnswerThe number of chickens you need depends on the purpose and size of your farm. Generally, 200-500 chickens is average for starting a new farm.
- QuestionHow should I draw up a business plan for a chicken farm?Community AnswerDraw up plans for your equipment, a decent sized holding area and a plain grass stretch. Follow a standard business plan but clearly tailored to running a chicken farm, the expected costs and desired profits.
- QuestionHow can I make sure I have enough money to start a chicken farm?Community AnswerYou can start out small.
Video
Tips
- If you're not up for starting a chicken farm from scratch, you can also invest in or buy an existing franchise instead.[26]Thanks
- Research methods that successful chicken farms use as a guide for your business. Popular poultry farms include Cargill Meat Solutions, Hormel Foods Corp, Tyson Foods, JBS USA, and Smithfield Foods.Thanks
Warnings
- Always wash your hands thoroughly after handling chickens. Live poultry often carry salmonella.[27]Thanks
Expert Interview
Thanks for reading our article! If you’d like to learn more about poultry, check out our in-depth interview with Alexandra Doss.
References
- ↑ https://survivallife.com/what-advantages-chicken-farming/
- ↑ https://www.greenamerica.org/green-living/many-benefits-backyard-chickens
- ↑ https://survivallife.com/what-advantages-chicken-farming/
- ↑ https://www.aces.edu/blog/topics/farming/new-farmers-guide-to-the-commercial-broiler-industry-poultry-husbandry-biosecurity-basics/
- ↑ https://www.poultry.care/blog/how-to-start-a-successful-poultry-care-farming-business
- ↑ https://www.fao.org/poultry-production-products/production/poultry-species/chickens/en/
- ↑ https://www.canr.msu.edu/uploads/234/69325/Chicken_Breed_Chart_to_Help_Choose_Your_Chicken.pdf
- ↑ https://animal-world.com/best-meat-chicken-breeds/
- ↑ https://www.poultry.care/blog/how-to-start-a-successful-poultry-care-farming-business
- ↑ https://withmydegree.org/can-degree-agriculture/
- ↑ https://www.greenamerica.org/green-living/many-benefits-backyard-chickens
- ↑ https://www.sba.gov/business-guide/plan-your-business/write-your-business-plan
- ↑ https://www.poultry.care/blog/how-to-start-a-successful-poultry-care-farming-business
- ↑ https://chickenscage.com/news/how-much-does-the-poultry-farm-equipment-cost.html
- ↑ https://www.poultry.care/blog/how-to-start-a-successful-poultry-care-farming-business
- ↑ https://www.fao.org/poultry-production-products/production/management-and-housing/en/
- ↑ https://grubblyfarms.com/blogs/the-flyer/how-big-of-a-coop-do-i-need
- ↑ https://www.greenamerica.org/green-living/many-benefits-backyard-chickens
- ↑ https://www.humanesociety.org/resources/adopting-and-caring-backyard-chickens
- ↑ https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/decreasing-daylight-and-its-effect-on-laying-hens
- ↑ https://extension.missouri.edu/publications/g8903
- ↑ https://www.humanesociety.org/resources/adopting-and-caring-backyard-chickens
- ↑ https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/what-kind-of-records-should-i-keep
- ↑ https://www.nerdwallet.com/article/small-business/how-to-apply-small-business-loan
- ↑ https://www.fao.org/poultry-production-products/production/poultry-species/en/
- ↑ https://www.investors.com/promoted-content/franshares/how-to-generate-passive-income-through-franchise-investing/
- ↑ https://www.health.state.mn.us/diseases/animal/backyard.html
About This Article
To start a chicken farm business, decide if you want to focus on eggs, meat production, or another specialty niche, then obtain the necessary equipment. Next, choose a chicken breed that matches your farming goals and set up coops or cages to keep them in. Feed and care for your chickens daily and be sure to separate any chickens that seem ill from the rest of the population. Don't forget to market your business by creating a website and advertisements! For more tips on choosing the best breed for your goals, read on!
Reader Success Stories
- "I like the following: 1. Keeping records of all activities taking place in relation to the poultry farming; 2. Knowing the difference between broilers and layers; 3. Planting crops to feed chickens reduces the cost; 4. Must have land to do poultry farming."..." more
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